1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a bottom rail for a trailer vehicle. In particular, the present invention relates to a bottom rail for a trailer vehicle which will have superior wear and strength characteristics over existing, known designs and also relates to a method to manufacture a trailer having a bottom rail.
2. Prior Art
Trailers for vehicles such as tractor trailers used to transport loads will typically include at least a floor, a pair of opposed sidewalls, and a front. The trailers may also include a removable or swinging tail gate at the rear. The trailers may take various configurations including dump trailers, tipper trailers and other designs. During unloading, the trailer is tilted so that the force of gravity will allow the load to slide out of the rear. When loose materials are delivered, such as rocks or dirt, wear results on the floor and on the sidewalls.
In many cases, it is desirable to minimize the weight of the trailer while maximizing the strength and wear characteristics of the trailer.
In fabricating metal trailers, it has often been the practice to weld a flat metal sheet or sheets used as sidewalls to a base or bottom rail which extends the length of the trailer. The bottom rail, thus, joins the floor to the sidewall and also serves as structural support for the trailer. A weld is often made on both the outside and inside where the side sheet meets the bottom rail at the floor line.
In use over time, the trailer is subject to significant vertical and horizontal stresses from traveling on roadways and from loading and unloading of trailers. It has been found that the welding or weldings at the base or floor line causes a heat affected zone at the intersection of the bottom rail where the sidewall is attached and which provides less strength. Accordingly, eliminating the welds at the floor line where the side sheet meets would be highly desirable.
The interior weld or welds are also subject to wear over time when the trailer is unloaded. Accordingly, it has been found necessary to include a wear plate which extends between the floor and the sidewall. The wear plate prevents wear on the interior welds. The wear plate, however, adds additional weight and additional cost to the trailer. Accordingly, it is desirable to design a trailer wherein the wear plate is no longer required but is optional.
Additionally, it is desirable from both a cost and weight standpoint to design a trailer having sheet walls with minimum thickness. At the same time, the lower portion of the sidewalls are subject to wear due to conditions caused during unloading the trailer. Accordingly, it is desirable to maximize the wear capability of the sidewalls while minimizing the costs and the weight of the sidewalls. Accordingly, one goal of the present invention is to provide a sidewall with a thicker portion at the base near the floor line than elsewhere.
Moreover, it would be desirable to construct each of the sidewalls of the trailer from a single large sheet, such as sheets of aluminum stored on large rolls, so that the width of the sheet is wide enough for the desired sidewall height. By way of example and not limitation, the maximum width of a sheet might be 96xe2x80x3, while the height of the sidewall could be 102xe2x80x3 or 103xe2x80x3. Accordingly, a further goal of the present invention is to design a trailer where sidewalls may be constructed from a single large sheet.
The present invention pertains to a bottom rail for a vehicle trailer. The trailer includes a right sidewall and a left sidewall generally opposed to each other. Extending between the sidewalls is a generally flat floor for supporting a load thereon. The floor extends the length of the trailer from the front to the rear of the trailer.
The trailer also includes a front wall extending between the sidewalls and the floor.
Extending the entire length of the trailer from the front to the rear are a pair of bottom rails. A bottom rail is located at the juncture of each of the sidewalls and the floor. The bottom rail includes an extending floor leg which would be generally parallel to the floor of the trailer. A cross member cover extends generally perpendicular from the floor leg. As an optional feature, the cross member cover may terminate in a reinforcing turn up.
The bottom rail also includes an upstanding member which extends upward from the floor leg. The upstanding member terminates in a notch which is spaced away from the floor leg, more than 1 inch above the floor line. The notch is designed for receiving a sidewall therein. The notch includes an inner finger and an outer finger of different lengths. The inner finger and the outer finger are not parallel to each other but are at an acute angle to each other. The sidewall is welded to the upstanding member of the bottom rail at the notch. The thickness of the upstanding member is significantly thicker than the sidewall.